Portable combination crib and playpen



March 24, 1953 L. H. BERK ET AL PORTABLE COMBINATION CRIB AND PLAYPEN Filed Aug. 20, 1947 INVENTORS Leslie H. BerK y Joseph C. Bullock F 9- Tl/f/R A TTOR/VEY Patented Mar. 24, 1953 PURTABLE COMBINATION CRIB AND PLAYPEN Leslie H. Berk, Lakewood, and Joseph C. Bullock, Cincinnati, Ohio Application August 20, 1947, Serial No. 769,644

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a portable combination baby bed or crib and play pen, and pertains more particularly to one which is collapsible for being readily folded into a compact bundle for being conveniently handled and transported, and can be easily set up and collapsed.

While baby beds or cribs are more or less small and light in weight as compared with conven tional beds or cots for adults, they are still too large and heavy to be easily portable, particularly for travel away from home. The mattress and springs are especially heavy and bulky, making them diflicult to pack for travel. One traveling with small children usually must carry along a baby bed or crib because it is necessary for confining small children when sleeping, and such are not always available with other sleeping accommodations at hotels, tourist camps, on trains and in homes where one is visiting.

The aim of the invention is to provide a baby bed or crib which can be placed on a conventional adult bed and utilize the springs and mattress there-of rather than requiring special ones. The bed or crib is provided with sides and ends connected at their adjacent ends. Each of the two sides is preferably twice the length of one of the ends, and is comprised of two sections hinged or joined together so that when the two sections are folded, the folded side sections will be of the same length as the end pieces. The two folded sections of each of the two sides and the two end pieces being equal in length, all can be readily stacked into a neat and compact package for being easily carried. The adjacent ends of the sides and the ends may be suitably attached together.

The assembled sides and ends are placed on a conventional adult bed at any desired portion and fastened thereon by suitable fastening means.

The baby bed or crib may be used as a play pen when not in use as a bed or crib, and floor sections may be used, and, if so, they are preferably of the same dimensions as the other sections, so that they too may be packed with the end pieces and side sections.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a baby bed or crib, including a bottom or floor section, embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper side of the bottom or floor section;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device when completely set up; and

3 mi Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the device fastened in position on a portion of an adult bed.

Referring specifically to the drawings, in which like numerals are used to designate like parts, numeral l refers generally to the bed or crib, composed of opposite end pieces 2 and side pieces 3 and 3. The side pieces are each in two sections 5 and E. The end pieces are of duplicate construction.

The two sections 5 and 6 of side pieces 3 are pivoted together with hinges i, one hinge being on the top rail 8 and another hinge being on the bottom rail 9 of the sections. The hinges are on the outside surface of the rails. Vertical posts 18 are spaced apart between the top and bottom rails of the side pieces.

A latch or hook ll having an open slot E2 in from the bottom edge adjacent one end is pivoted at the opposite end to the end of the top and bottom rails by means of screws It. A screw I Q with its head l5 projecting is fitted to the inside surface near the end of an adjacent rail to enease with the slot i2 in the latch or hook it when the device is set up.

The opposite ends of the rails are pivoted to the end pieces by hinges l6 secured by screws 11. The portion of the hinge on the side piece is spaced from the end of the rail for a distance equal to the thickness of the rail on the side pieces. Thus, when the device is set up the ends of the rails of the side pieces will abut against the inside faces of the rails of the end pieces and have the outside surfaces of the rails in the side pieces flush with the ends of the rails in the end between the hinge joint and the end of rails of the side piece so that the ends of said rails will abut against the inside surface of the rails of the end piece when the device is set up.

The sections of the side piece are secured by two latches or hooks Ha pivoted at [3a to the inside and outside surf-ace of the rails. The hooks or latches are slotted at 12 to engage with a bolt [9 extending through the end of the rail in the other section of the side piece. The bolt has a projecting head [9 on one end and a wing 3 nut 20 on the opposite end in order that the free ends of the latches may be drawn tightly together against the rails when the device is set up. A device of the onstruction above described is solid and rigid when set up in position for use.

A bottom piece 2| may be used with the bed or crib for converting same into a play pen. The bottom piece comprises sections 22 and 23 hinged together at 24. Notches or recesses 25 are provided along the edges of the bottom sections in spaced apart relation to correspond with the spacing of the vertical posts in the side pieces. The intervening portions or projections 26 on the edges of the bottom or floor piece, resulting from the notches or recesses, project to be substantially flush with the outer surface of the bottom rails on the side pieces.

The bed or crib, with the bottom section preferably removed, may be secured by straps 21 upon an adult bed. Recesses 28 are advantageously provided in the opposite ends of each of the top rails or" the side pieces for receiving the straps which are run through the recesses 28 and secured to the sides of the adult bed beneath the baby bed or crib.

In collapsing the gate device, the sections 50. and 6a are unlatched so that they and the ends I and 2 can be swung outwardly and away from each other and the bottom, each as a unit, upon the outside hinges I6. When these sections have been swung apart sufliciently to release the bottom 2|, they will be swung inwardly upon hinges inside 16a for each to lie alongside one of the end sections 2. Then section B of one unit will be swung around on hinge IE to lie alongside the section 2 on the side opposite to section 6a. Likewise section of the other unit will be swung around on the other hinge 6 to lie alongside the section 2 on the side opposite to section Go.

The device may be or any suitable material, such as wood, metal or the like light materials. The end pieces are preferably of solid or closed construction rather than being open work like the side pieces. However, the kind of material used for making the sections and their construction, other than above described, is not material.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be understood that there may be various changes in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A collapsible baby crib or bed comprising two opposite end pieces of equal dimensions, two side pieces having spaced vertical posts, each of which is composed of sections of about the same dimensions as an end piece, hinge means pivoting the side pieces to the end pieces with each of the side pieces abutting against the end pieces when the bed or crib is set up, hinge means for pivoting together the sections of one of the side pieces, a pivoted latch for securing together the sections of the other side piece, and a bottom or floor provided with alternating recesses and projections along opposite edges for interfitting with the spaced vertical posts of the side pieces.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the bottom or floor is composed of hinged sections, each of which is of equal dimensions with a section of the side pieces.

3. A collapsible baby crib or bed comprising two end pieces of equal dimensions, two sectional side pieces, each of which is composed of sections of substantially the same dimensions as an end piece, hinge means pivoting the side pieces to the end pieces, with the ends of the side pieces abutting against the end pieces when the bed or crib is set up, hinge means for pivoting together the sections of one of the side pieces, a pivoted latch for securing the hinged sections of said side piece in alignment, and a pivoted latch for securing together the sections of the other side piece.

4. A collapsible baby crib or bed comprising two end pieces of equal dimensions, two sectional side pieces, each of which is composed of sections of substantially the same dimensions as an end piece, hinge means pivoting the side pieces to the end pieces, with the ends of the side pieces abutting against the end pieces when the bed or crib is set up, hinge means for pivoting together the sections of one of the side pieces. a pivoted latch for securing the hinged sections of said side piece in alignment, and a double pivoted latch for securing together the sections of the other side piece.

5. A collapsible baby crib or bed as set forth in claim 4 including means for drawing the double pivoted latch tightly against the surfaces of the sections of the side piece which are secured by said latch.

LESLIE H. BERK. JOSEPH C. BULLOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,463,459 Comstock July 1, 1923 1,840,689 Baker Jan. 12, 1032 2,135,517 Isbell Nov. 8, 1938 2,571,297 Schindler Oct. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 591,902 Germany Jan. 29, 1934 546,053 Great Britain June 25, 194-2 

